Ian had rolled up his sleeves. He leant forward, elbows on the table, intent on taking control of the meeting now. ‘The truth is we have done all we can, Foreign Secretary.’ He gestured towards Kate. ‘Kate has done a frankly amazing job, which we should all acknowledge. If there is an inquiry . . .’ He let that hang. It was his standard way of cornering politicians. ‘. . . then we will be required to show that we acted at every turn in good faith. This looks like due diligence to me.’

‘I am fully cognizant of the possibility of an inquiry into all aspects of my work at any point, now or in the future,’ Simpson said acidly.

‘I understand that, Foreign Secretary, but this is surely about the balance of risk. Because of Kate’s good work . . .’ My God, she thought, he’s laying this on thick. He was making sure the blame game was well advanced if subsequently it all went wrong. ‘. . . we can characterize with confidence the worst that can happen.’

‘Which is?’

‘You are completely right about the video. As we have discussed before, there is the real possibility that it is a “deep” fake and that the financial information they say they are going to provide will prove to be a long and misleading trail to nowhere. But if we conclude they are misleading us, we have a choice: simply to let them be and ignore them or throw them out.’

‘Except they will have hired the most expensive lawyers in the country to make that impossible,’ the permanent secretary said. He had a very deep, steely voice.

‘All right. The worst that can happen is they get an unwarranted passage to freedom and security in the West. Not ideal, but they’re hardly public figures. Who is ever going to know?’

‘Are you familiar with British politics and our press?’ the permanent secretary shot back.

That seemed to silence the room. Simpson had taken to staring out of the window too. ‘This is so fraught with risk and complication,’ she said, ‘that every political instinct I have rebels against giving the go-ahead.’

‘Perhaps you should pay attention to them,’ her permanent secretary muttered to her.

‘But you leave me no choice.’ She looked at Ian. ‘As you have so helpfully pointed out, any subsequent inquiry will make inaction look like cover-up, or worse.’

‘Are you sure?’ the permanent secretary asked.

‘Sadly, yes.’ She stood, looking squarely at Kate. ‘I hope to God you know what you’re doing.’

Simpson and her permanent secretary walked out, leaving Kate with Ian and the chief. Sir Alan hadn’t said a word. ‘You want coffee?’ he asked eventually.

‘I’m fine,’ Kate said.

Ian declined. ‘How much longer?’ he asked Sir Alan softly.

‘A day. Two. Three. Soon, in any event.’

‘I am so sorry.’ It was said with quiet sincerity.